NationStates Jolt Archive


Stuff Every Guy Should Know

Lord Tothe
08-04-2008, 03:51
Basic skills every guy (and every gal, for that matter) should know.

-Drive a manual-transmission automobile

-Change a flat tire, change the oil and perform other basic automotive mainenance

-Jump-start a car

-Coil a rope

-Perform CPR/ first aid

-Navigate with map and compass

Essential knowledge:

-Firearms safety (especially important if you don't know anything about guns)
(a) treat every gun as if it is loaded
(b) never point a gun at anything you don't want to shoot
(c) keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot
(d) keep the safety on until you are ready to fire
(e) Never handle someone else's firearm without their permission and supervision.
(f) When at the range or hunting, be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

-The Declaration of Independance and The Constitution of the united States of America or the equivalent documents of your country (Magna Carta, The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, etc,) and State/ provincial constitutions where applicable. Whether you agree with these documents or not, it's important to know exactly what they say and do not say in order to call BS on politicians and pundits

Anyone out there have any additions to this list or objections to what I have listed here?
Fassitude
08-04-2008, 03:55
Anyone out there have any additions to this list or objections to what I have listed here?

The firearms crap and the nonsense about ropes are irrelevant.

I would add:

* Fluency in at least two languages other than your primary one.
* Maths at least to the level of quadratic equations, derivatives, integration and complex numbers.
* Orthography.
* Not just first aid and CPR, but first aid and CPR in accordance with ABCDE within reason.
* The importance of regular exercise and a healthy diet.
NERVUN
08-04-2008, 03:55
You forgot cooking and basic budgeting (I.e. how to make and stick to a budget and balance your checkbook/accounts) and I see no need for firearms safety under essential knowledge.
Troglobites
08-04-2008, 04:01
4 out of 6. Not bad, I guess. I try not to compare my self to others...
Sarkhaan
08-04-2008, 04:04
How to properly press slacks and collared shirts

how to tie a tie
VietnamSounds
08-04-2008, 04:05
The most important thing you should know is how to coexist with people, especially people you don't like.
Poliwanacraca
08-04-2008, 04:05
I see nothing remotely essential about being able to use a gun or coil a rope, and being able to drive a stick shift, while useful, isn't really "essential" nowadays when most cars seem to be automatics. I also agree with Nervun - the ability to feed oneself and to manage money really is essential, unlike rope-coiling.
Troglobites
08-04-2008, 04:06
How about snake coiling?
Lord Tothe
08-04-2008, 04:07
I can tie a tie, cook, budget, and maintain a healthy diet.

I am competent in Algebra, and quite good at Trigonometry and Geometry.

You all seem quite derisive of my addition of rope coiling, but the skill of coiling of ropes and power cords is an essential part of farm life, construction work, sailing, and part of many other jobs and recreational activities. I also included it because it actually does require a bit of a knack.
New Genoa
08-04-2008, 04:08
How to fly?
The Scandinvans
08-04-2008, 04:11
I would add:

* Fluency in at least two languages other than your primary one.Do ones I make up with my millions of clones count?
NERVUN
08-04-2008, 04:11
* Fluency in at least two languages other than your primary one.
I can kinda see this one, though I would think one would be enough.

* Maths at least to the level of quadratic equations, derivatives, integration and complex numbers.
Er... why? I'm assuming that the list is meant as a 'what does everyone need to know?' and for the life of me I cannot see why everyone would need Math to the level you propose.

* Orthography.
Add in Rhetoric as well. Mechanics are important, but useless without knowing how to use them for effect.

* The importance of regular exercise and a healthy diet.
You forgot the how to go about getting them. ;)
West Harris
08-04-2008, 04:15
what is the point of knowing such advanced mathematics when they're hardly, if ever, used in day-to-day situations. it's good to know something beyond simple mathematics, sure, but what you posted in completely unnecessary for most people.
Lunatic Goofballs
08-04-2008, 04:15
-How to find North without a compass

-How to swim

-How to hang a spoon on the end of your nose

-The lyrics to the first verse of 'Bad To The Bone'.

-How to throw a punch without breaking your hand

-A decent recipe for chili

-How to check your armpits for odor without looking like you are checking your armpits for odor.

-At least three places to hide personal possessions within your home.
Honsria
08-04-2008, 04:17
How about how to hold a civil discussion/argument?
The South Islands
08-04-2008, 04:18
How about how to hold a civil discussion/argument?

GTFO troll
Sarkhaan
08-04-2008, 04:19
GTFO troll

*teargasses*
Kyronea
08-04-2008, 04:20
The firearms crap
=

Really? I'd call it especially important, since a large number of deaths and injuries caused by firearms are through improper handling and general ignorance of what to do around them.
Fassitude
08-04-2008, 04:30
I can kinda see this one, though I would think one would be enough.

One might have been barely enough 50 years ago. In this day and age, bilingualism is run of the mill and doesn't suffice far, especially not in places like Europe and mainland Asia.

Er... why? I'm assuming that the list is meant as a 'what does everyone need to know?' and for the life of me I cannot see why everyone would need Math to the level you propose.

How else does one truly manage to understand economics, compound interests and rate of change over time, just to name one field? Maths can be used in most settings to an advantage, but I do admit that complex numbers are just plain old fun and would be sad to miss in life.

Add in Rhetoric as well. Mechanics are important, but useless without knowing how to use them for effect.

Rhetoric is fine and dandy, but written communiqués to groups of people are far more common.

You forgot the how to go about getting them. ;)

That would be encompassed by knowing what they are.
Potarius
08-04-2008, 04:40
Maths can be used in most settings to an advantage, but I do admit that complex numbers are just plain old fun and would be sad to miss in life.

I agree here. It's true that knowing more complex mathematics gives anybody a nice advantage, but then again, that's really not all that's important.

For my time, Music Theory gets higher priority than complex mathematics and experimental physics, which I have quite a bit of interest in. But, as I said, music is a much bigger interest, and I feel I could make an impact with it.
NERVUN
08-04-2008, 04:40
One might have been barely enough 50 years ago. In this day and age, bilingualism is run of the mill and doesn't suffice far, especially not in places like Europe and mainland Asia.
In terms of just getting by though, your native tongue and one other should be ok, but I am willing to concede the point.

How else does one truly manage to understand economics, compound interests and rate of change over time, just to name one field? Maths can be used in most settings to an advantage, but I do admit that complex numbers are just plain old fun and would be sad to miss in life.
I'd argue though that the lowest common denominator would only need the basics for daily living though.

Rhetoric is fine and dandy, but written communiqués to groups of people are far more common.
Rhetoric as in "the art of harnessing reason, emotions and authority, through language, with a view to persuade an audience and, by persuading, to convince this audience to act, to pass judgment or to identify with given values." which encompasses the written word, not just speech making.

That would be encompassed by knowing what they are.
I dunno about that. I mean, I KNOW that a healthy diet and exorcise is good, but working out what that means and how to successfully go about doing it is something else.
Lunatic Goofballs
08-04-2008, 04:45
Rhetoric as in "the art of harnessing reason, emotions and authority, through language, with a view to persuade an audience and, by persuading, to convince this audience to act, to pass judgment or to identify with given values." which encompasses the written word, not just speech making.

You know, the spoon on the nose thing is easier and impresses more people.
NERVUN
08-04-2008, 04:48
You know, the spoon on the nose thing is easier and impresses more people.
Only if they can see you do it though and vid clips are still too big to regularly send through email. ;)
Fassitude
08-04-2008, 04:51
In terms of just getting by though, your native tongue and one other should be ok, but I am willing to concede the point.

I'd aim higher than just "getting by" (I'd deem it eking by) when the subject is what one "should know".

I'd argue though that the lowest common denominator would only need the basics for daily living though.

"Should" != "need".

Rhetoric as in "the art of harnessing reason, emotions and authority, through language, with a view to persuade an audience and, by persuading, to convince this audience to act, to pass judgment or to identify with given values." which encompasses the written word, not just speech making.

And that written word can be how eloquent and yet succinctly put, but if it's written in text speak or the sorry excuse for a written language that the Internet has become testament to, well...

I dunno about that. I mean, I KNOW that a healthy diet and exorcise is good, but working out what that means and how to successfully go about doing it is something else.

In knowing that a healthy diet is good, you need to know why and what it contains. That means knowing that "healthy diet" can mean different things for different people, and needing to see what it means to you.
Fassitude
08-04-2008, 04:52
Only if they can see you do it though and vid clips are still too big to regularly send through email. ;)

And you're supposed to be living in Japan, the home of frivolous technology! Tsk, tsk...
The South Islands
08-04-2008, 04:53
*teargasses*

blarg gassed
Fassitude
08-04-2008, 04:54
Really? I'd call it especially important, since a large number of deaths and injuries caused by firearms are through improper handling and general ignorance of what to do around them.

The solution to which is of course not being foolish enough to own a firearm in the first place.
Fassitude
08-04-2008, 04:55
Do ones I make up with my millions of clones count?

Only if you can get your clones recognised as more than fodder for soylent green.
Wilgrove
08-04-2008, 04:58
Here's my list on stuff guys should know.

1. How to be a man, and when it's time to man up.
2. How to drive defenselessly
3. How to drive a pick up truck with a full load.
4. How to manage and balance a budget
5. How to save up money/save for retirement
6. How to stand up for yourself IE act like you got a pair
7. Know when to compromise and when to stick to your guns
8. Know the Nine Noble Virtues and live by them! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Noble_Virtues)
9. How to not be a dick.
10. Finally, know and live by the Golden Rule.
Wilgrove
08-04-2008, 04:59
The solution to which is of course not being foolish enough to own a firearm in the first place.

Ooorr, know how to properly own, operate and handle a firearm. I don't see owning firearms (especially for protection) as foolish.
PelecanusQuicks
08-04-2008, 05:01
Basic skills every guy (and every gal, for that matter) should know. <snip>

Great list.

I would add:

Basic banking skills.

Basics of life-saving knot tying. Knowing how to use a rope competently in an emergency is always a plus.

How to navigate without a compass.
Fassitude
08-04-2008, 05:03
I don't see owning firearms (especially for protection) as foolish.

Having insight into one's foolishness makes it difficult to continue on with it. So, lack of insight is key, yes.
Lunatic Goofballs
08-04-2008, 05:04
Only if you can get your clones recognised as more than fodder for soylent green.

http://www.boomspeed.com/looonatic/mmm_soylent_green.wav
The Scandinvans
08-04-2008, 05:05
9. How to not be Dick.Hey, even though I totally altered the meaning of your rule by changing it to be the name of the guy I am still sad as that was my friend's name.
Chumblywumbly
08-04-2008, 05:11
-Drive a manual-transmission automobile

-Change a flat tire, change the oil and perform other basic automotive mainenance

-Jump-start a car
I don’t know shit about cars, and I don’t see why I necessarily should.

-Coil a rope
Growing up in a seaside town, I know all about coiling ropes, knots and the like, but again I don’t see why this is necessary knowledge.

How to properly handle games controller/AV cables on the other hand... :p

-Perform CPR/ first aid

-Navigate with map and compass
Check, and check.

And these are much more rational things one should know.

-Firearms safety...
Good to know if you use guns, obviously, but as I don’t own, need or want a gun, I aren’t ashamed of my limited knowledge of firearms. However, I have shot a few guns in my time, and the whole ‘dinnie point it at nobody’ has fairly wellstuck in my head.

-The Declaration of Independance and The Constitution of the united States of America or the equivalent documents of your country (Magna Carta, The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, etc,) and State/ provincial constitutions where applicable. Whether you agree with these documents or not, it’s important to know exactly what they say and do not say in order to call BS on politicians and pundits
A sensible reason to learn the legal limits of one’s rights and freedoms. However, on a practical note, there are hundreds, if not thousands of Acts of Parliament, treaties, conventions, statutes, criminal precedents, royal prerogatives, etc., that make up the uncodified constitution of the UK. A bit harder than pointing to a relatively short Constitutional document.
Non Aligned States
08-04-2008, 05:11
2. How to drive defenselessly


Without seat belt, airbag, crash helmet, brakes and marginal control of the wheel while looking like a tempting crash target? :p
Daistallia 2104
08-04-2008, 05:11
A fine quote re this topic:

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
RAH
The_pantless_hero
08-04-2008, 05:58
I can program a computer to do all this >_>
Ryadn
08-04-2008, 06:15
-How to find North without a compass

-How to swim

-How to hang a spoon on the end of your nose

-The lyrics to the first verse of 'Bad To The Bone'.

-How to throw a punch without breaking your hand

-A decent recipe for chili

-How to check your armpits for odor without looking like you are checking your armpits for odor.

-At least three places to hide personal possessions within your home.

Now this is a list I would follow. Especially the bits about chili, swimming and throwing a punch.
NERVUN
08-04-2008, 06:20
And you're supposed to be living in Japan, the home of frivolous technology! Tsk, tsk...
That's how I know! I mean, you shoot something with your keitai then have to wait a long while to upload send the clip and your bill gets larger afterwards as well. :p
Ryadn
08-04-2008, 06:27
Some additions:

-How and when to tie a tourniquet
-How to change a flat tire
-How to build and bank a fire
Kyronea
08-04-2008, 06:28
The solution to which is of course not being foolish enough to own a firearm in the first place.

Who said anything about having to own the firearm? It could be the firearm of a friend, or a firearm in some location somewhere you might be. Hell, it could even be a firearm you just took from someone who was trying to rob a store or murder someone. There are undoubtably many other possible scenarios as well.

The point is, understanding firearm safety is a useful skill regardless of whether you intend to be around firearms all that often or not. If you ever find yourself requiring one, or in a position where you might have to handle one, it'd be a skill you'd have.

Admittedly, though, it does become less useful in certain societies where firearms might not be as prevalent.,

Out of curiosity, why would owning a firearm be foolish? (Apart from the really obvious possible reasons, such as the danger of it falling into the hands of your child. The clear solution there is knowing how to properly store it so that can't happen, but that's beside the point.)
Lord Tothe
08-04-2008, 06:30
Great list.

I would add:

Basic banking skills.

Basics of life-saving knot tying. Knowing how to use a rope competently in an emergency is always a plus.

How to navigate without a compass.

Bowline, square knot, clove & half hitches. In that order of importance, IMHO. I meant to add that to my original list, but it slipped my mind.
Dynamic Revolution
08-04-2008, 06:40
Add:
How to wash dishes as well as other chores around the house.

Have a mediocre knowledge of basic home repair and maintenance
The Alma Mater
08-04-2008, 06:55
Out of curiosity, why would owning a firearm be foolish? (Apart from the really obvious possible reasons, such as the danger of it falling into the hands of your child. The clear solution there is knowing how to properly store it so that can't happen, but that's beside the point.)

What is the use of owning a firearm if you do not train extensively ? When fighting humans at close range firearms are not efficient - basic knowledge of martial arts or a knife tend to be much more useful in that situation. At long range it requires marksmanship, which you will not have if you only know basic gun safety.

Only at medium range they have some use, and then only if you are willing to use them. A poorly trained gunuser will probably be unable to accurately aim, so no telling if you will kill your opponent - which for most people will lead to traumas.

Firearms are much more useful for fighting animals - but living in the big city that is kinda limited to wild dogs and cats. I will take my chances without a gun for that. It has the added benefit of not suggesting that my penis is tiny - because we all know that is the true reason men want guns. Compensation for cowardice in life and feelings of inadequacy in the sack.
Lord Tothe
08-04-2008, 06:56
Add:
How to wash dishes as well as other chores around the house.

Have a mediocre knowledge of basic home repair and maintenance

OK

-Know how to hammer a nail straight and operate a drill

-know how to perform basic plumbing repairs

-know how to replace switches and electrical receptacles

etc.
Kyronea
08-04-2008, 07:08
What is the use of owning a firearm if you do not train extensively ? When fighting humans at close range firearms are not efficient - basic knowledge of martial arts or a knife tend to be much more useful in that situation. At long range it requires marksmanship, which you will not have if you only know basic gun safety.

Only at medium range they have some use, and then only if you are willing to use them. A poorly trained gunuser will probably be unable to accurately aim, so no telling if you will kill your opponent - which for most people will lead to traumas.

Firearms are much more useful for fighting animals - but living in the big city that is kinda limited to wild dogs and cats. I will take my chances without a gun for that. It has the added benefit of not suggesting that my penis is tiny - because we all know that is the true reason men want guns. Compensation for cowardice in life and feelings of inadequacy in the sack.

The importance of firearm safety has more to do with being able to store a weapon properly, being able to handle one properly if you need to handle one(note that handling does not imply use) and so on and so forth.

Still, you're right. Basic firearm safety doesn't really help you much when it comes to use. But that's not the point. The point is safety with firearms.

I will not debate your final statement, because I agree that in some cases firearm ownership is for the sake of compensation. (Emphasis on some, however. For example, I will be owning a firearm, as part of my job.)
Bungussi-Djanvallaland
08-04-2008, 07:17
I can't remember the last time I touched a gun, saw a rope, needed a compass, held a map, or got into a car. I do frequently think that learning CPR might not be a bad idea, but the chances of it coming up seem to be pretty low, since I've got quarter of a century without needing it once.

I don't think there's all that much knowledge that can be obligatory across a disunited world of six and a half billion people beyond perhaps the difference between one's arse and a hole in the ground.
Delator
08-04-2008, 07:41
A fine quote re this topic:

RAH

Gah...beaten to it.

*shakes fist*
The South Islands
08-04-2008, 07:45
Ma I suggest basic land navigation? IE, being able to walk out of a forest if you get lost.

Oh, and how to make fire and shelter out of basic components.
Thumbless Pete Crabbe
08-04-2008, 08:15
What is the use of owning a firearm if you do not train extensively ? When fighting humans at close range firearms are not efficient - basic knowledge of martial arts or a knife tend to be much more useful in that situation. At long range it requires marksmanship, which you will not have if you only know basic gun safety.

It's not a complicated device. Point and click is easily understood. Maybe I just had a knack for it, but I had all the gun knowledge and accuracy you could ever need by the time I was 10 years old - anything else was just improvement for entertainment. I don't keep a gun for protection, as it happens, but it's a very simple skill to learn. I'm not sure where you're getting confused by it, honestly. Exstensive training? :p
Lapse
08-04-2008, 08:43
My list:
1. How to perform first aid/CPR well in a stressful situation
2. How to swim, including been able to get yourself out of trouble at the beach
3. How to drive a manual
4. How to fix your own damn computer
5. How to mix a good gin and tonic
6. How to build something out of wood
7. Basic plumbing and electrics
8. How to cut toenails properly
9. How to parallel park
10. Physics and Maths to an atleast Grade 10 level
11. How to write a sentence not using txt speak
12. How to tell if a website is safe to buy something off
13. How to navigate without a GPS!!!
14. How to pretend to be nice to people you hate!

I think firearms are irrelevant: At least in Australia. We have barely any accidental gun related deaths per year. You would be far better off knowing how to first aid a snakebite.

(Of course, I agree that everyone should know that you don't ever point a gun at anyone or any of that stuff)
Wassercraft
08-04-2008, 09:15
[QUOTE=Lord Tothe;13590901


Anyone out there have any additions to this list or objections to what I have listed here?[/QUOTE]

Rope and CPR, I agree. I agree about knowing Constitution (for respective country), because it defines your primary duties and rights within your country and society.

I don't agree about this automotive stuff. It certainly is not something every guy should know. Car is not like basic necessity or something you are obligated to use. There is always bike and public transport. (of course if you are driving the car, then you should know how to do it, including maintenance, but that's just common sense. If you are driving a bicycle, you also should know basic maintenance operations for it.).

I don't think that firearms stuff is also something everyone would have to know. More general common sense statement would be fine: Be careful with dangerous things (including firearms, explosives, nuclear waste). But firearms... in my country most people would probably live their lives without touching gun.
Risottia
08-04-2008, 09:17
Basic skills every guy (and every gal, for that matter) should know.
Essential knowledge:


... a totally different list.

more on the brawny side of it:

swimming
walking on uneven terrain (like mountains, swamps, snow etc)
walking at a reasonabily pace for long time (let's say 30 km in 6 hours)
carrying a backpack
climbing a rope
fording a creek or a shallow river
running one kilometer in less than ten minutes
lifting half of your weight

more on the brainy side of it:
using a knife (as tool not as weapon)
using a rope
speaking/understanding and writing/reading your own language perfectly and with a rich vocabulary
speaking/understanding and writing/reading at least two common foreign languages, at least to a survival degree (me want eat, where hotel, where toilet, when train, here danger, how much money)
basic manners (like not spitting on a proffered hand, or not wearing shoes in a mosque, or not burning a chinese flag on Tienanmen square)
loading a backpack
selecting useful items and knowing what's useful and what's not (know thy towel!)
using basic tech items like a telephone, a battery, a lever, a screwdriver, a radio
knowing how to dress (both on the social side and on the environment-conditions side: don't wear a bikini in the Sahara!), and being able to make simple repairs on clothes
doing the 4 basic operations of maths with your mind as only tool
knowing the basics of euclidean flat geometry
basic knowledge of physics (kynematics and dynamics)
knowing the basics of orienteering and navigation (reading a bloody map)
basic awareness of health risks (do not drink from a creek that's passing through a field where cows shit, do not stick your head in a beehive)
treating minor wounds (mayonnaise doesn't go on anything)
knowing food and how to cook it
basic self-defence (it begins before you get actually attacked - like not calling for it by sporting a fat wallet - and it includes retreat and flight)
minimal knowledge of world geography, history, culture and politics

I'd say that's the real minimum
Cameroi
08-04-2008, 09:29
well i think some of the first few items on the op's list will have a rather short 'shelf life' when the oil seriously starts running out, but in general i totally aggree with the concept over all.

i think everyone should know the lay of the land the're surrounded by. where their domestic water supply comes from and what alternative options may exist for it.

not just where the roads go, but where you can walk but not physically be able to drive, and not only that, but what the roads surround, in every direction within walking distance from where you live. and what direction to walk or drive to other neccessary resources that lie outside of the radius you consider to be your own personal comfortable 'walking distance'.

how to build shelter from what you can find without taking it away from anyone else. even where the nearest electrical power plant is located and how to opperate its equipment, to get it up and running again after everything falls appart, if that should be appropriate to do so, and things like how, sensibly to determint the appropriateness of doing so.

where catches of alternative generating equipment might be located. how to wire solar panels and windmills. and of course how to make candles from scratch. and all the other skills that would be involved if the grid were to go down and stay that way. for ever. until someone, yourself participating in doing so, were to rebuild it and bring it back up.

how to not die of food poisoning when there isn't any power or fuel delieveries to run your refrigeratior.

and how to stay warm/avoid hypothermia, in general, without the support of the tecno-comfort gestalt so many of us are so unfamiliar with anything else.

i count myself lucky to have grown up in the mountains where the snow and ice, at least a couple of times a year, knocked out the electrical power, and the roads were too snowed in, or deep in mud, for the propane truck to get through.

=^^=
.../\...
Sirmomo1
08-04-2008, 09:43
Some of you seem to be anticipating an impending collapse of civilisation.
The Blaatschapen
08-04-2008, 09:57
How to properly pour a beer.
Cameroi
08-04-2008, 10:02
Some of you seem to be anticipating an impending collapse of civilisation.

not of civilization, which is a cultural concept that has yet to be implimented, but things like governments and their infrastructure can, have and do colapse. and there IS a head on collision impending, between human population levels and the carrying capacities of nature's cycles of renewal, which very like can and quite possibly will, lead to disease, famine and a plethora of resource shortages in general.

i for one, would not see a colapse of bussiness as usual as a colapse of 'civilization' at all.

the point i think is though, that our cusshie illusory house of cards of symbolic value, that we so take for granted, is NOT a default condition of the universe.

that unexpected chainges and chances can and do happen.

all skills of both a tecnological and a natural survival nature, are infinitely invaluable.

more so, i believe, then either brinksmanship or social graces.

=^^=
.../\...
Call to power
08-04-2008, 10:04
1) how to copy others and make it look like you did it yourself
2) how to lie

...

3) er I guess how to use google search if you ever get stuck on how to lie or something :confused:

1. How to be a man, and when it's time to man up.
9. How to not be a dick.

you seem to be contradicting yourself :p

* The importance of regular exercise and a healthy diet.

why do I see your ideal world being full of well toned sex maniacs who go at it all night long?

Some of you seem to be anticipating an impending collapse of civilisation.

the crazy is right! what we need these days is a way to get rich quick and how to masturbate in the meantime
Laerod
08-04-2008, 10:08
I see nothing remotely essential about being able to use a gun or coil a rope, and being able to drive a stick shift, while useful, isn't really "essential" nowadays when most cars seem to be automatics. I also agree with Nervun - the ability to feed oneself and to manage money really is essential, unlike rope-coiling.Only in the US. Stick-shifts are still the norm in Europe, and quite frankly, using a stick-shift right will save you gas that you'd otherwise waste when using an automatic.
Here's my list on stuff guys should know.

1. How to be a man, and when it's time to man up.
2. How to drive defenselessly
3. How to drive a pick up truck with a full load.
4. How to manage and balance a budget
5. How to save up money/save for retirement
6. How to stand up for yourself IE act like you got a pair
7. Know when to compromise and when to stick to your guns
8. Know the Nine Noble Virtues and live by them! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Noble_Virtues)
9. How to not be a dick.
10. Finally, know and live by the Golden Rule.1 and 6 sound like the same thing. 2 is dangerous. 10 is interesting, because that would imply you would like to have other people's successes rubbed in to anger you.
Ooorr, know how to properly own, operate and handle a firearm. I don't see owning firearms (especially for protection) as foolish.Read Tragedy of the Commons. Same underlying principle: What may seem good for you on an individual level may turn out to be detrimental if everyone does it.
How to properly pour a beer.Not to mention how to tell when not liking a beer is a matter of taste and when it's a matter of the beer being bottled or canned horsepiss.
Hatesmanville
08-04-2008, 10:32
Basic skills every guy (and every gal, for that matter) should know.

-Drive a manual-transmission automobile

-Change a flat tire, change the oil and perform other basic automotive mainenance

-Jump-start a car

-Coil a rope

-Perform CPR/ first aid

-Navigate with map and compass

Essential knowledge:

-Firearms safety (especially important if you don't know anything about guns)
(a) treat every gun as if it is loaded
(b) never point a gun at anything you don't want to shoot
(c) keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot
(d) keep the safety on until you are ready to fire
(e) Never handle someone else's firearm without their permission and supervision.
(f) When at the range or hunting, be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

-The Declaration of Independance and The Constitution of the united States of America or the equivalent documents of your country (Magna Carta, The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, etc,) and State/ provincial constitutions where applicable. Whether you agree with these documents or not, it's important to know exactly what they say and do not say in order to call BS on politicians and pundits

Anyone out there have any additions to this list or objections to what I have listed here?

so evil arnt you?
Tsrill
08-04-2008, 10:38
I would add:

How to read a manual
Call to power
08-04-2008, 10:42
so evil arnt you?

you' know now that you mention it that list seems more like what a rapist needs to know :p

How to read a manual

why bother when you can pay a guy minimum wage to fix any problems you have for you :)
Rambhutan
08-04-2008, 10:47
When spats are an appropriate form of attire.

A theoretical knowledge of how to play the accordion.

How to order a cocktail in at least fourteen languages

How to play Contract Bridge
The Blaatschapen
08-04-2008, 11:23
How to order a cocktail in at least fourteen languages

Nice one, although I prefer to order beer :) And yes, I'm actually able to do that in quite some languages :D
Eofaerwic
08-04-2008, 11:32
I don't think that firearms stuff is also something everyone would have to know. More general common sense statement would be fine: Be careful with dangerous things (including firearms, explosives, nuclear waste). But firearms... in my country most people would probably live their lives without touching gun.

Agreed, if you live in the EU, chances are you'll never touch or even see a gun, so I wouldn't say firearms knowledge is universal. But basic safety procedures for specific dangerous substances/equipment is.
Arroza
08-04-2008, 11:45
I would add:

* Fluency in at least two languages other than your primary one.
* Maths at least to the level of quadratic equations, derivatives, integration and complex numbers.
* The importance of regular exercise and a healthy diet.

1. Maybe in Europe you need to be able to speak 3 languages, but with English and Spanish I can go anywhere in North or South America except Brazil, Haiti, and Quebec. And 2 out of those 3 are epic hellholes.

Brazil's pretty sweet though.

2. Not everyone needs all that math. Knowing up to Algebra and Geometry is enough for most blue-collar workers.

3. Yes.
Levee en masse
08-04-2008, 11:59
Hmm,

How to identify the hat for the occasion,
How to mix a dry martini,
How to light a pipe,
how to choose and arrange a buttonhole
Rasta-dom
08-04-2008, 12:38
How to seduce a lady. Or guy, if that's your thing.
Rambhutan
08-04-2008, 13:00
How the offside rule works - though I never really have.
Extreme Ironing
08-04-2008, 13:03
Sing a C without a reference note.
Demented Hamsters
08-04-2008, 13:40
The firearms crap and the nonsense about ropes are irrelevant.
okay Mr Smartypants - what do YOU do with with your ropes and binds after a heavy sex session? Just leave them cluttering up your abode? How gross!

May I add:
A guy should:
have some basic knowledge as to personal grooming
be able to keep a house clean
have more than a passing knowledge about wine
Mad hatters in jeans
08-04-2008, 13:44
Basic skills every guy (and every gal, for that matter) should know.

-Jump-start a car

-Perform CPR/ first aid

-Navigate with map and compass
Anyone out there have any additions to this list or objections to what I have listed here?
I cut out the things you don't need to know.
I would add, how to socialise (very important), how to spot a bastard or nasty person. How to clean dishes quickly and effectively, and how to wash clothes, how to apologise for things without looking like an arse.
How to be happy. and lastly determination to see things through.

Some additions:

-How and when to tie a tourniquet
-How to change a flat tire
-How to build and bank a fire
Tourniquet is no longer used by the medical profession, you don't need to know how to tie them.
the other two are okay.
Rambhutan
08-04-2008, 13:55
How to use an umbrella to defend oneself against footpads and other bounders.

http://ejmas.com/jnc/jncart_barton-wright_0200.htm
Ashmoria
08-04-2008, 14:04
When spats are an appropriate form of attire.

A theoretical knowledge of how to play the accordion.

How to order a cocktail in at least fourteen languages

How to play Contract Bridge

oh crap i fail those

how about....

when a flannel shirt is appropriate

how to pick a few tunes on a guitar

how to make a pitcher of sweet tea

how to play poker
Mad hatters in jeans
08-04-2008, 14:07
oh crap i fail those

how about....

when a flannel shirt is appropriate

how to pick a few tunes on a guitar

how to make a pitcher of sweet tea

how to play poker

flannel shirt.:confused:
Well i fail at tunes on a guitar.
I've never made a pitcher of sweet tea.
I don't think poker is needed to be known, it's useful but it's not needed. I mean there's so many other card games out there, poker is only useful for drinking games.
Tsrill
08-04-2008, 14:08
why bother when you can pay a guy minimum wage to fix any problems you have for you :)

Because when you read the manual, there isn't a problem in the first place and you can spend the money on booze (or whatever else you fancy) ;)
Bright Capitalism
08-04-2008, 14:10
How to use an umbrella to defend oneself against footpads and other bounders.

http://ejmas.com/jnc/jncart_barton-wright_0200.htm


Barton Wright is my hero!
Ashmoria
08-04-2008, 14:19
flannel shirt.:confused:
Well i fail at tunes on a guitar.
I've never made a pitcher of sweet tea.
I don't think poker is needed to be known, it's useful but it's not needed. I mean there's so many other card games out there, poker is only useful for drinking games.

the rest was being silly in response to the spats, accordian, cocktails and contract bridge but everyone should know how to play poker well.

and everyone should know how to read music to some extent and to play an instrument.
Gwljdodnfyglijjijip
08-04-2008, 14:21
How to avoid work.

How to cook in a normal kitchen.

How to cook in the middle of a trackless wilderness miles from the nearest sign of civilization.

How to fake good accents (especially French, German, Dutch, Chinese, British, American, Canadian).

How to politely tell someone they're full of it.

How to defend yourself against a group of heavily armed assailants.

How to make friends with dogs.

How to compose a symphony in two weeks.

How to distinguish between Lemon and Crushed Pineapple jelly beans.

How to put down a toilet lid after using it.

How to invade Chechnya.

The script to Monty Python's Life of Brian, including the songs.

How to tell a true story from an urban legend.

How to throw a stiletto accurately.

Likewise, how to fix a laser printer.

The complete works of Gilbert and Sullivan, or at minimum HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado.

How to assassinate John F. Kennedy.
Mad hatters in jeans
08-04-2008, 14:24
the rest was being silly in response to the spats, accordian, cocktails and contract bridge but everyone should know how to play poker well.

and everyone should know how to read music to some extent and to play an instrument.

ah understood.
I don't play an instrument, i used to but i was coerced to play it rather than want to play it, which put me off music for a long time.
no fair.
Laerod
08-04-2008, 14:32
okay Mr Smartypants - what do YOU do with with your ropes and binds after a heavy sex session? Just leave them cluttering up your abode? How gross!There's your problem: You're using rope. Zip-ties are so much more practical and less of a hassle.
May I add:
A guy should:
have some basic knowledge as to personal grooming
be able to keep a house clean
have more than a passing knowledge about wineNot everyone drinks wine, and someone that judges you on your ability to talk about former grapes isn't really worth it.
why bother when you can pay a guy minimum wage to fix any problems you have for you :)Real men don't pay minimum wage. :p
Ashmoria
08-04-2008, 14:38
adding...

you should know how to fit in at a formal event.

you should know how to play common casino games well--blackjack, craps and roulette. baccarat is a bonus.


you should know how to drink so that you seem to be keeping up with everyone else but never get drunk.

you should know how to back up a vehicle with a trailer attached to it.

you should know how to tell a joke.
Bright Capitalism
08-04-2008, 14:40
adding...

you should know how to tell a joke



Which half the global population are genetically unable to do because they are female.

The comedy gene resides on the Y chromosone. Well known fact that is.
Daistallia 2104
08-04-2008, 15:26
Some of you seem to be anticipating an impending collapse of civilisation.

Some of us realise that the collapse of civilization, at least temporarily, is a pretty common event. Or have you forgotten that it happened in a major US city in 2005? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Katrina_in_New_Orleans)

Personally, I reside in an area that is subject to major earthquakes and typhoons. I've seen the results of natural disasters up close and personal. Better prepared than not. I keep a "48 hour kit". I'm an Eagle scout. I expect to be able to walk out of Osaka in the event of a major earthquake.
Jello Biafra
08-04-2008, 15:52
How to hire a competent home repairman, computer repairman, electrician, chauffeur, personal chef, and personal trainer.
Rambhutan
08-04-2008, 15:54
Barton Wright is my hero!

He had an excellent moustache too.
Anikdote
08-04-2008, 16:23
The art of the courtesy flush

How to maintain a healthy and lush lawn
The blessed Chris
08-04-2008, 16:32
I object to the majority of the anachronistic, limited, USA-centric and frankly insecurely macho crap the OP has posted.

Especially that I need to be able to coil a rope? Why would I ever need to do this? Or have a basic knowledge of firearms?
The South Islands
08-04-2008, 16:34
Tourniquet is no longer used by the medical profession, you don't need to know how to tie them.
the other two are okay.

Yes it is. It's used in emergency medicine to control bleeding.
Neo Art
08-04-2008, 16:38
okay Mr Smartypants - what do YOU do with with your ropes and binds after a heavy sex session? Just leave them cluttering up your abode? How gross!

Make her clean them up of course. Duh.
Daistallia 2104
08-04-2008, 16:48
Yes it is. It's used in emergency medicine to control bleeding.

Neither of you are quite correct, as I understand it - there's quite a bit of disagreement. When the question came up almost exactly two years ago, I emailed my friend who's a trained paramedic, and my dad who had just finished an EMT course.

This is from the lastest EMT First Responder course.

Tourniquet

Use of tourniquets in urban situations, where
transport is imminent, remains contriversial, seldom
required, and recommended only as a last resort when
the life of the patient is threatened. Using a
tourniquet to control bleeding may be extremely
hazardous because it interrupts the blood supply and
risk causing irreversible injury to the distal
extremity due to lack of adequate perfusion, the
bathing of cells with oxygenated blood under proper
pressure. In the wilderness tourniquets, although
rarely necessary, may be of use more often than urban
situations. On upper arms and upper legs (the only
places tourniquets should be used), they can be left
in place for 2 hours before irreversible damage
occurs. During that time the turniquet may be useful
in allowing you to stop blood flow long enough to find
exactly where the torn vessels are located so that you
can increase the effectivness of direct pressure. A
tourniquet also may be useful in encouraging clot
formation in severe wounds. Apply a tourniquet close
to the proximal (closet to the midline of the body)
side of the wound for upper arm or leg, or just above
the elbow or knee for lowere arm or leg wounds. Use a
wide band and tie it snugly around the arm or leg with
an overhand knot. (A narrow band, such as a rope, can
cause localized neurovascular damage in minutes.) Use
a second overhand knot to tie a stick (or any rigid)
into the band - and turn the stick to squeeze off
blood flow. Tighten the tourniquet just enough to
prevent any leakage from the wound and no more. Q
loose tourniquet, however, may actually increase
bleeding by alloring arterial flow passed the
constriction but impeding venous return. carefully
monitor the time and your patient. You should loosen
the yourniquet periodically to see if it is still
neede - and remove it as soon as it is not. "If you
apply a tourniquet and leave it applied, you have
determined to sacrifice the limb".

That's what we were taught last year.
Rambhutan
08-04-2008, 16:52
Neither of you are quite correct, as I understand it - there's quite a bit of disagreement. When the question came up almost exactly two years ago, I emailed my friend who's a trained paramedic, and my dad who had just finished an EMT course.

How else are you going to stop the bleeding having just removed someone's leg armed only with a rusty sardine tin?
Daistallia 2104
08-04-2008, 17:08
How else are you going to stop the bleeding having just removed someone's leg armed only with a rusty sardine tin?

If I've just removed somone's leg with a rusty sardine tin, I won't be looking to stop the bleeding... I'll be using same said can to cut their throat, as the only reeason I'd be removing a leg in that fashion would be in an attempt to kill...

I've had enough basic first aid drilled into me to know what I'm reasonably able to do before the pros are on scene. And I know that if I'm in a spot where somebody's leg has to come off or they die, and all I have is a rusty sardine can, they're 99% going to die. If I went and did it anyway, the tourniquet would have been applied beforehand.

As for stopping bleeding, AFAIK it still goes elevation, direct pressure, pressure points, then tourniquet, but pressure points or tourniquet only in the most dire of circumstances. Note that your local laws may hold you liable for applying a tourniquet if you aren't a medical pro.
The South Islands
08-04-2008, 17:10
How else are you going to stop the bleeding having just removed someone's leg armed only with a rusty sardine tin?


You could always dip his stump in boiling tar, just like the good old days.
Dundee-Fienn
08-04-2008, 17:13
Note that your local laws may hold you liable for applying a tourniquet if you aren't a medical pro.

Not to mention leaving yourself open to litigation from the 'patient' should the situation be made worse as a result
Khadgar
08-04-2008, 17:54
I can't help but notice that a lot of these lists are things that would be handy to know if you're stranded on a desert island but fuck all useful in reality.
Pure Metal
08-04-2008, 18:04
Basic skills every guy (and every gal, for that matter) should know.

-Drive a manual-transmission automobile

-Change a flat tire, change the oil and perform other basic automotive mainenance

-Jump-start a car

-Coil a rope

-Perform CPR/ first aid

-Navigate with map and compass



You forgot cooking and basic budgeting (I.e. how to make and stick to a budget and balance your checkbook/accounts) and I see no need for firearms safety under essential knowledge.

i'd definitely go with cooking and CPR, but the rest of it seems largely unessential. i'd add being able to read and write of course.

though two things stick out from the OP. first off (as has been said) gun safety isn't that important in a country where there are virtually no guns. secondly, most cars in this country are manual transmission, so that knowledge is pretty universal anyway.
RhynoD
08-04-2008, 18:10
As for stopping bleeding, AFAIK it still goes elevation, direct pressure, pressure points, then tourniquet, but pressure points or tourniquet only in the most dire of circumstances. Note that your local laws may hold you liable for applying a tourniquet if you aren't a medical pro.

When I was trained they said the correct way to use a tourniquet was to not use one unless you were EMS.

I was also taught that the correct way to check for a broken leg on a woman was not to squeeze her breasts.
Daistallia 2104
08-04-2008, 18:37
Not to mention leaving yourself open to litigation from the 'patient' should the situation be made worse as a result

Indeed. (And to head off the inevitable "well at least they didn't die, so they shouldn't sue" argument, loosing a limb uncessarily because some yahoo put a tourniquet on it when it wasn't needed counts as making things worse.)

When I was trained they said the correct way to use a tourniquet was to not use one unless you were EMS.

Basically, that's what I understand it is, but with a few exceptions. Note, my parents course was a wilderness EMT course, and due to circumstances like remoteness and transport times, certain rules are different. If the patient's bleeding out and the medevac's going to take a few hours, a tourniquet may be called for as a last result. If your ner a hospital and the pro's are on the way, hell no. I don't remember what all else, but there are a few other differences.

I was also taught that the correct way to check for a broken leg on a woman was not to squeeze her breasts.

LOL
Lord Tothe
08-04-2008, 21:05
i'd definitely go with cooking and CPR, but the rest of it seems largely unessential. i'd add being able to read and write of course.

though two things stick out from the OP. first off (as has been said) gun safety isn't that important in a country where there are virtually no guns. secondly, most cars in this country are manual transmission, so that knowledge is pretty universal anyway.

If you're here, I assume you can read and write.

Gun safety knowlede is of the most importance to those who have the least contact with firearms. They're not like in the movies.

Where I live, automatics are the rule. You need to know how to drive anything because you never know when you may need to drive someone else's car. What if you need to drive a woman in labor to the hospital? Of course, I COULD add midwiferish skills to the list, I suppose. But you don't want to do that. That's not like in the movies, either.

referencing a few points from other posts, I can drive a tractor and back a trailer, I can improvise a fishing line, and I can tell a joke. http://forums.jolt.co.uk/usercp.php
Dundee-Fienn
08-04-2008, 21:10
Gun safety knowlede is of the most importance to those who have the least contact with firearms. They're not like in the movies.


What are the benefits of gun knowledge if someone doesn't wish to use one at all, in your opinion?
Neesika
08-04-2008, 21:12
Ah fack.
Pure Metal
08-04-2008, 21:52
If you're here, I assume you can read and write.

yes, but without question they are skills "every guy should know," regardless.

Where I live, automatics are the rule. You need to know how to drive anything because you never know when you may need to drive someone else's car. What if you need to drive a woman in labor to the hospital? Of course, I COULD add midwiferish skills to the list, I suppose. But you don't want to do that. That's not like in the movies, either.


if you can drive a manual you can drive an automatic.

but i know it would take me a while to get used to an american car... having the gearstick in a different place (they're often on the steering wheel, right?) would confuse me a bit.

What are the benefits of gun knowledge if someone doesn't wish to use one at all, in your opinion?
quite. not only do i not wish to use, or hold, a gun, but also i quite expect to go my whole life without seeing one that isn't in the hands of the police or other trained professional.
Sirmomo1
08-04-2008, 22:09
Some of us realise that the collapse of civilization, at least temporarily, is a pretty common event. Or have you forgotten that it happened in a major US city in 2005? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Katrina_in_New_Orleans)


A grand total of zero of the skills mentioned in this thread would have been more useful than simply evacuating.
Lunatic Goofballs
08-04-2008, 22:12
A grand total of zero of the skills mentioned in this thread would have been more useful than simply evacuating.

Swimming might help.
Gwljdodnfyglijjijip
08-04-2008, 22:14
A grand total of zero of the skills mentioned in this thread would have been more useful than simply evacuating.

I dunno, I think New Orleans would have been much less chaotic had the average local been capable of singing through "I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major General" or telling lemon and crushed pineapple jelly bellies apart (hint: the lemon are the ones with the white blotches on the outside).
Demented Hamsters
09-04-2008, 03:10
Not everyone drinks wine, and someone that judges you on your ability to talk about former grapes isn't really worth it.
Even it can be used to impress the pants off a hot chick? Main reason behind all my suggestions. By 'passing knowledge' I don't mean a wine snob. I just mean being able to name more than two varieties of wine ("red" and "white" just don't cut it) and have some idea as to which sort of wine would complement a meal - by this I don't necessarily mean the tired old "red for meat, white for fish". For eg, a good Riesling goes great with Vietnamese cuisine, but would be overpowered by a hearty Indian meal (especially Goan).

Being able to make great dessert is also a plus. Impresses the hell out of the wimminfolk, believe you me.
Demented Hamsters
09-04-2008, 03:11
I dunno, I think New Orleans would have been much less chaotic had the average local been capable of singing through "I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major General"
Certainly would have made the evacuation more fun to watch for the rest of us.
Amor Pulchritudo
09-04-2008, 03:41
Basic skills every guy (and every gal, for that matter) should know.

-Drive a manual-transmission automobile

-Change a flat tire, change the oil and perform other basic automotive mainenance

-Jump-start a car

-Coil a rope

-Perform CPR/ first aid

-Navigate with map and compass

Essential knowledge:

-Firearms safety (especially important if you don't know anything about guns)
(a) treat every gun as if it is loaded
(b) never point a gun at anything you don't want to shoot
(c) keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot
(d) keep the safety on until you are ready to fire
(e) Never handle someone else's firearm without their permission and supervision.
(f) When at the range or hunting, be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

-The Declaration of Independance and The Constitution of the united States of America or the equivalent documents of your country (Magna Carta, The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, etc,) and State/ provincial constitutions where applicable. Whether you agree with these documents or not, it's important to know exactly what they say and do not say in order to call BS on politicians and pundits

Anyone out there have any additions to this list or objections to what I have listed here?

1. We don't need firearm safety in most places in Australia, because no one has firearms.
2. The only people can quote from our constitution are pol-sci students.
3. I don't think everyone should have to know how to use a map and a compass. It's 2008... use GPS or at least a refidex.
4. I wouldn't mind knowing how to change a tyre etc, but I don't think it's exactly high on the list of things people should know.

Perhaps we could add:
A basic understanding of their own language.
How to vote.
How to do their own damn job.

But, even then, I guess the most important thing is simply knowing how to survive.
Lord Tothe
09-04-2008, 04:21
if you can drive a manual you can drive an automatic.

but i know it would take me a while to get used to an american car... having the gearstick in a different place (they're often on the steering wheel, right?) would confuse me a bit..

The "3 on the tree" hasn't been in use since the 70's or maybe early 80's. If you're in a backwards country like England :p the only difficulty is steering with your left hand and shifting with your right in an American car. The reference to manual transmissions is simply that if all you know is automatics, you should learn to use a clutch as well. It would appear that the majority of repliers here already know how to drive with the fun transmission thanks to the international nature of this forum, but a very large percentage of Yankees can't drive a stick.
Hotwife
09-04-2008, 04:23
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert A. Heinlein
Daistallia 2104
09-04-2008, 04:31
A grand total of zero of the skills mentioned in this thread would have been more useful than simply evacuating.

Point One: Several skills mantioned would be key to evacuating.

Point Two: Not all natural or man-made disasters can be predicted in time to evacuate.

What are the benefits of gun knowledge if someone doesn't wish to use one at all, in your opinion?

As has been already mentioned, I believe, handling a firearm safely does not equate use. The simpliest rules of firearms safety taught to children are usually something along these lines:
If you see a gun:

STOP!
Don't Touch.
Leave the Area.
Tell an Adult.
http://www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/

Knowing not to touch a firearm is worthwhile knowledge, even if you have never seen a firearm in your life.
Daistallia 2104
09-04-2008, 04:37
-snip-

Beat ya too it ages ago. (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13591091&postcount=37)
Thumbless Pete Crabbe
09-04-2008, 06:35
Read Tragedy of the Commons. Same underlying principle: What may seem good for you on an individual level may turn out to be detrimental if everyone does it.

That's absurd. Guns aren't a scarce resource, or anything remotely comparable. "Everyone doing it" is perfectly fine, as long as "it" is responsible gun ownership anyway.
Lunatic Goofballs
09-04-2008, 07:31
For some reason, this thread got me watching this part of Denis Leary's routine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt-rz6jmmbE
Geniasis
09-04-2008, 10:33
the rest was being silly in response to the spats, accordian, cocktails and contract bridge but everyone should know how to play poker well.

and everyone should know how to read music to some extent and to play an instrument.

The voice counts as an instrument, right?
Kbrookistan
09-04-2008, 10:35
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert A. Heinlein

I can do most of that - butchering and I don't get along. But otherwise, an excellent summation. Of course, it's Heinlein, which is pretty much saying the same thing.
Ifreann
09-04-2008, 12:25
Everyone should know everything, but it's ok if you don't.
ASXTC
09-04-2008, 12:36
This "list" of 5 things is all about perspective...and how the individual rates his points in importance.
Everyone has thier own idea on what is useful and what isn't.

I'm basing my list on what i hope my 2 lads need:

1. Being able to spot the difference between Fashion and Style.

2. Being able to prevent money from burning holes in thier pockets.

3. Not pre-judging people based on rumour...being able to make your own mind up.

4. Google isn't your friend......Durex is.

5. You only live once...so enjoy it to the full.
Lenburg
09-04-2008, 12:38
I have never actually seen a gun let alone handled one, so I don't think this applies to the more civilized parts of the world.
Ifreann
09-04-2008, 12:38
4. Google isn't your friend......Durex is.


Keep your friends close, but your condoms closer.
Kewen
09-04-2008, 12:47
My list

1. which hole to stick it in
2. What the big red button does
3. how to drive
4. basic firearm safty
5.CPR
6. how to cook your own food and poisen others
7. able to identify poisens
8.self defense (marital arts)
9.the knowledge of the closest deli or video shop
10. basic knowledge of how to use a PC
11. location of the nearest exit in case things get sticky.


OOC: i saying Kewen so ican find this post again without having to look for it
Rambhutan
09-04-2008, 13:11
My list

1. which hole to stick it in
2. What the big red button does
3. how to drive
4. basic firearm safty
5.CPR
6. how to cook your own food and poisen others
7. able to identify poisens
8.self defense (marital arts)
9.the knowledge of the closest deli or video shop
10. basic knowledge of how to use a PC
11. location of the nearest exit in case things get sticky.


OOC: i saying Kewen so ican find this post again without having to look for it


Can I add 'how to spell poison' to the list
Ifreann
09-04-2008, 13:12
Can I add 'how to spell poison' to the list

I think that's covered in knowing how to recognise poisons. Surely reading the label is your first step when trying to establish whether a substance is poisonous.
Ashmoria
09-04-2008, 14:29
The voice counts as an instrument, right?

only if you can really sing.

i was kinda thinking that being able to carry a tune should be on the list.
Dyakovo
09-04-2008, 15:54
i was kinda thinking that being able to carry a tune should be on the list.

I can carry a tune... :D

Assuming of course it's recorded on some sort of media.
New Limacon
09-04-2008, 19:17
*snip*
I have heard from people who say they carry a weapon to deter attackers, women especially. But if you live in a large city, you're almost always within shouting distance of at least one person who isn't drunk, so it's really only useful if you live on a farm or ranch or something.

I would add, "Understanding basic social cues" to the list. Most social cues come to most people naturally, but they still should not be neglected.